The Week Ahead: Africa Day, Deputy President & Budget Vote Debates

There's a full and mixed flavour to the coming week's parliamentary business.

The highlights include Africa Day commemoration, budget vote debates, oral questions to the Deputy President, legislative business, and important Committee hearings.

The Budget Vote Debates provide another opportunity for Parliament and the public to interact with the budget. After each vote has been debated, each House (NA + NCOP) must vote on the whole budget. The NA will vote on the Appropriation Bill and the accompanying votes and schedules on 8 June 2023. The NCOP will adopt the Appropriation Bill the following week. If passed, this will conclude Parliament’s processing of the 2023/24 national budget.

The NA is scheduled to hold 10 budgets vote debates this week.

On Tuesday, the House will debate: Vote 23 & 26: Defence and Military Veterans; Vote 20: Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities; Vote 35: Science and Innovation; Vote 28, 24 & 21: Police (including Independent Police Investigate Directorate & Civilian Secretariat for the Police Service; Vote 10: Public Enterprises and Vote 13: Public Works and Infrastructure

On Wednesday, the House will debate: Vote 17: Higher Education and Training; Vote 38: Tourism and Vote 39: Trade, Industry and Competition.

On Friday, the House will debate: Vote 3 & 15: Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs

Click here to read all the budget vote speeches and responses.

Thursday’s NA plenary agenda is varied. Lawmakers will interact with the Deputy President during his oral question session, debate Africa Day, consider the Eskom Debt Relief Bill and decide on a resolution whether to establish an ad hoc committee to exercise oversight over the new Minister of Electricity and the implementation of the Office of Minister Ramokgopa’s programme of action. At the time of writing, this was not confirmed but the House is also expected to confirm the Public Protector appointment process.

Elsewhere, the NCOP will hold Policy Debates on six Budget Votes at its plenary sittings this week (one on Tuesday, two on Wednesday and three on Thursday). Delegates will also consider assorted committee reports during these sittings.

A multi-party delegation from Parliament is still participating in the 2nd Ordinary Session of the Pan-African Parliament held in Midrand from 15 May to 2 June 2023.

Legislation, spending matters, and oversight dominate the agenda in the committee corridor. Here is a rundown of the highlights:

TUESDAY, 23 MAY 2023

Standing Committee on Finance, (National Assembly), [Briefing by National Treasury’s Chief Procurement Officer on the Procurement Bill], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-12:00

Standing Committee on Appropriations, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the Department of Transport on the 2023 Appropriation Bill], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-12:00

Portfolio Committee on Communications, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the Public Service Commission (PSC) on the feedback on the Roundtable discussion on services offered by SITA; Briefing by the DCDT on SAPO Bailout conditions and deliverables], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-13:00

Portfolio Committee on Transport, (National Assembly), [Deliberations on the Railway Safety Bill [B 7-2021]; Consideration and adoption of minutes of proceedings], Committee Room M314, Third Floor, Marks Building, 09:00-13:00

Portfolio Committee on Basic Education, (National Assembly), [Consideration and adoption of draft minutes and draft reports; Briefing by the Department of Basic Education on: Progress in International Reading and Literacy Study (PIRLS); Comprehensive Progress Report on ECD Function Shift], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:30-12:30

Portfolio Committee on Forestry, Fisheries and Environment, (National Assembly), [Oral submissions on Climate Change Bill [B9-2022]; and Briefing by the Department on the Rock Lobster Anti-Poaching Strategy], Committee Room 1, 120 Plein Street Building, Parliament, 09:30-13:00

Select Committee on Trade and Industry, Economic Development, Small Business Development, Tourism, Employment and Labour, (National Council of Provinces), [Negotiating mandates on Performers Protection and Copyright Amendment Bills], Committee Room M514, Fifth Floor, Marks Building, Parliament, 10:00-13:00

WEDNESDAY, 24 MAY 2023

Standing Committee on Appropriations, (National Assembly), [Public hearings on the 2023 Appropriation Bill], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-12:00

Portfolio Committee on Police, (National Assembly), [IPID Expansion strategy with National Treasury], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-13:00

Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration, (National Assembly), [Comprehensive report on the Operation Phakisa and to establish if the programme is creating job opportunities by the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation; Monitoring report on the deliverables by government departments in the implementation of 2019-2024 revised MTSF targets and indicators for 2022/23 financial year by the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation; Consideration and adoption of the minutes], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:30-13:00

Standing Committee on Public Accounts, (National Assembly), [Deliberation by the Committee regarding ex-GCEO of Eskom on allegations of corruption and other financial irregularities at ESKOM], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:30-13:00

Portfolio Committee on Health, (National Assembly), [Consideration and adoption of the B-Bill of the National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill], Committee Room S35, First Floor, NCOP Building, 10:00-13:00

Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the DMV on the performance/implementation of all benefits for 2022/23; DMV Update on filling of vacancies and national database; Consideration of PCDMV Annual Performance Plan; Consideration and adoption of outstanding minutes], Virtual Meeting Platform, 10:00-13:00

Select Committee on Security and Justice, (National Council of Provinces), [Briefing by the Minister and the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development on the Strategic and Annual Performance Plans for 2023/24], Virtual Meeting Platform, 10:00-12:00

Select Committee on Appropriations, (National Council of Provinces), [Public hearings on the: (i) Appropriation Bill [B3 – 2023]; and (ii) Eskom Debt Relief Bill [B5 – 2023]], Virtual Meeting Platform, 10:00-13:00

THURSDAY, 25 MAY 2023

Joint Standing Committee on Defence, (National Assembly and National Council of Provinces), [Update by the SANDF on border safeguarding operations, including successes, ongoing challenges and the impact on operations of the use of technology; Briefing by the DOD on the level of cooperation with the newly formed Border Management Agency along the borders; Consideration of outstanding minutes], Virtual Meeting Platform, 18:00-21:00

FRIDAY, 26 MAY 2023

Joint Standing Committee on Financial Management of Parliament, (National Assembly and National Council of Provinces), [Summary and analysis of interventions in respect of increasing public participation, and efforts underway to broaden public participation in line with the Sixth Parliament’s strategic objective to do so: briefing by the Secretary to Parliament; Consideration and adoption of committee minutes: 19 May 2023.], Committee Room M514, Fifth Floor, Marks Building, Parliament, 08:30-13:00

Standing Committee on Public Accounts, (National Assembly), [Meeting with National Security Advisor to the President regarding ex-GCEO of Eskom on allegations of corruption, theft, maladministration, sabotage, lack of consequence management, cartels and other financial irregularities at ESKOM], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:30-13:00

Committees provide a platform for the public to present views directly to MPs. Share your thoughts, on-the-ground experience, and expert information with the relevant committees. Critically, what questions should MPs pose to the Executive as they conduct their oversight work? Write to a Parliamentary Committee

View the schedule page here.

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